


don't learn from our mistakes (it keeps us human)

by 6168096



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, hinted at unrequited genyatta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-08 17:40:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12869682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/6168096/pseuds/6168096
Summary: What if when Genji leaves for Overwatch, he forgets to tell Zenyatta about it? Left behind, Zenyatta willfully ignores some feelings, meets Hanzo who has tracked Genji since they've reunited, and its a deja vu all over again.





	1. Ah, the orb

It was _cold_.

It wasn’t an unusual sensation for Zenyatta, given his home is located on top of the Himalayas. In fact, on any other point in time, Zenyatta would gladly be cold over being hot since the slow reaction time seemed like a better option than overheating and ruin the delicate machinery entirely. Low temperature for omnics didn’t register quite the same way as organic beings. It wasn’t the heat it self that was felt, but rather how the absence of it would cause delay within the circuits - it was felt by time passing. 

Right now, it was as if the world has come to a stop.

Only the howling of the wind that rattled the door to the room that told him it was not the case. _He_ must have been rather excited when _he_ left since the door was left unlocked (again), Zenyatta thought as he pushed further into the room. Beside looking a bit wind tossed (was that snow starting to pile up there?), the somewhat barren room looked almost the same as last time he was in it with its owner (which was four days ago ~~it feels like it was a lifetime ago~~ ). The main difference was… Ah yes, the medal Zenyatta saw laying sacredly in front of _his_ family photograph was gone, ~~just like _him_~~. Stiffly, Zenyatta lifted his hand to trace brush aside the snow dusting the frame. It was odd, to see it only in natural light, not by the vigilantly lit candles beside it. 

He should turn around and go back, now that he has confirmed that the nest has been abandoned. He should go back to the temple and be with his brothers and sisters in this trying time. There were work and chores he had to take over, now Mondatta has passed over into the Iris. He should. Yet, Zenyatta found himself rooted in middle of the room, feeling lost. 

It must be the cold, slowing down his thought process. 

It _had_ to be.

It was only when Zenyatta registered a soft click (like the sound of metallic foot landing on the ground down from the roof, but it belongs to someone heavier than he hoped to see) he finally turn around. 

“I am afraid we were both too late. He has already left, Hanzo” said Zenyatta. Perhaps calling the stranger by his name was the wrong move since he only frowned deeper and tightened his grip on the arrow knocked on the bow, pointed at Zenyatta’s core.

“How do you know that name and the face to place it?” Hanzo demanded. 

Zenyatta merely picked up the photograph he was stroking earlier and handed it to Hanzo as answer. It wasn’t enough to smooth out the archer's frown, but it was enough for the arrow to point at the floor instead. Although many years has passed since that photograph was taken, Hanzo was easy to recognise with the scowl (and there were certain things only a Shimada could do). The man was dressed with several layers of clothes but it was clear it wasn’t enough to keep the chill out as even someone without cybernetic eyes could see his hands shake. For somebody who came all the way here from Japan in such a rush, they have not been prepared for the altitude change and provisions and it was starting to show. Combined with tidal waves of discord emanating from Hanzo, it was almost a deja vu for Zenyatta.

“I am Tekhartha Zenyatta, from the Shambali Monastery not far from here. I know you seek answers, however I see no reason why we should do this while getting frozen solid. If you would join me?” said Zenyatta with a small head bow. Hanzo was startled out of his reverie staring at the photograph, hesitant at the offer (or is it the altitude sickness finally getting at him?), so Zenyatta forced some cheer into his voice to add, “We also have some warm tea to talk over”. At Hanzo’s slow nod, Zenyatta led the way.

(Hanzo struggled through about ten more steps more than his brother before he collapsed on the walk to the monastery. Zenyatta berated himself for forgetting to offer his orb of Harmony once again as he carried Hanzo through the last few stretch.)


	2. Ah, hydration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo is awake and why is English the standard language again?

Hanzo wished he could say he was glad to be able to open his eyes again. Instead, a familiar disappointment and an acute sense of feeling sick greeted him into the land of the living. At least he wasn’t freezing to death (quite literally) anymore. The room he was carefully laid down on was best described as humble. One might even go far to call it cozy, lit with warm candle light and the soft fragrance of burning incense diffusing in the room. 

When he tried to sit up, an elderly woman with deep frown line suddenly materialised from the shadows. Emitting disapproval, she held him down, speaking to him in an unfamiliar tongue. Although he did not understand the words the message was clear. Once he stopped resisting and laid back down, she held up a hand (wait here) and briskly walked away, leaving behind a trail of scent from medicinal herbs. 

Alone once more (or is it finally?), Hanzo felt lost. He wasn’t sure if he is feeling more or less than the time he had come to the realisation of what he did when he was too green, too stupid. He didn’t know what he was doing here, in this barren land, sick and weak in someone else’s room. Despite the stings he can still feel from the scuffle in Hanamura, it felt like Hanzo had dreamt that he met _him_ in this life again. Hanzo has been lacking in many things on that fateful night but he knew his skill wasn’t one. 

_“Yes, if you were less handy with that blade, I might be still alive and whole. Not that cybernetic monster you saw.”_

Hanzo closed his eyes and refused to dignify _it_ with an answer ~~if he did, he would be acknowledging he was having hallucinations~~.

_“Neither living nor dead. They have mutilated a Shimada’s corpse and turned it into a living weapon.”_

The cold brush of air on his skin was just a draft blowing in from the ill-fitting windows, not the laboured breath of ghost missing half of his lung. 

_“That omnic you saw. Do you think he did it? Took the sparrow and his clipped wings, mixed and matched to suit his taste? Molded me into his image and filled it up with-”_

“Ah you are looking better! Brother Zenyatta has been driving me up the wall with questions about how you fare.” said a new voice, making Hanzo’s eyes snap open ~~and thankfully the ghost wasn’t to be seen anywhere~~. It looked like the omnic he met before, but shinier. Perhaps it is a more recent make. It had more armour plating than the other one but still skeletal compared to everyday omnics. Wearing full monk’s yellow ochre garb, it rushed into the room, dropping beside Hanzo without grace.

“The Iris was with you, since you didn’t actually have altitude sickness but just a terrible case of dehydration. The last time this happened, the poor lass had liquid in her lung and had to climb back down as soon as she got here. You probably have still have a killer migraine though. I am afraid only time and drinking a looooot of water will fix it. Ah speaking of, thank you doctor,” It said, accepting a cup of water from the women from before. “Here, I’ll help you up so you can drink this.”

Hanzo blinked at it awkwardly once it finished talking and lifted himself up to take the cup. Honestly, he hasn’t had a reason to practice his English recently and the omnic speaking at the rate of bastion’s gun fire wasn’t helping. After a moment of silence, the monk exclaimed a sound of realisation as if it noticed Hanzo’s language insufficiency as well.

“Oh dear, I only know a few simple phrase of Japanese the lovebirds has taught me. And it’s not as if I can get enough signal here to download a whole language pack! Uhh let’s see... “ The omnic cradled its mouth piece in thought while Hanzo carefully sipped at the water (surely they will not poison him now, when it seemed like they went into the trouble of treating him from some sickness). ”こんにちは。オレはゼンヤタのともだちです。デｲーて読んでください！”

Who is this Zenyatta again, Hanzo wondered and said “ゼンヤタ？” in hoped to convey it.

“Hmmm I think I’ve exhausted all my Japanese knowledge now… 待ってください? Zenyatta is currently in a meeting and probably come running in to check on you once he is free in… lets see, two hours tops?” said Dee, holding up two fingers. Hanzo sighed as it was obvious the machine didn’t understand him. 

Two hours.

Hanzo has waited longer for answers. 

In lower voice, Dee added, “Just between us tough, knowing Brother Zenyatta, it would be a miracle if he doesn’t call the whole thing off once the news that your are awake hits his sensors. Would you like some more water while we wait?” said Dee, holding another cup of water from the woman.

It will be a long two hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> drinking water and staying hydrated is very important.

**Author's Note:**

> hiya! this is my first time writing a fic - im sorry if it doesn't read very well. 
> 
> i had this image of zen and hanzo meeting while genji is off doing ovw stuff. The bg is that post mondatta's death, zen has been asked back of shambali to help along w genji. during this process, genji gets the recall and one day vanishes wo telling zen anything. zen is worried and feeling sth he doesn't want to label. 
> 
> haha hope u liked it!


End file.
